Window screen construction



July 11, 1933. c GALEENER 1,917,579

WINDOW SCREEN CONSTRUCTION Filed June 20, 1932 IN VEN TOR.

A TTORNEYS.

Patented July 11, 1933 CHARLES E. GALEENER, OF LOSANGELES, CALIFORNIA WINDOW SCREEN CONSTRUCTION Applicationfiled June 20, 1932; Serial No. 618,243.

This invention relates to an improved sheet metal and retaining connection constructed and arranged to secure in place a piece of sheet metal such as window screen commonly called screen cloth.

An object ofthe invention is to provide a simple means of the character stated that will not only firmly secure the screen inplace I but which can be easily removed when the 10 screen becomes worn or rusty or when for any reason it is deemed necessary to remove it and substitute a new piece of screen in place. r

Also an important object of the invention is to provide a securing means fora piece of screen cloth which will firmly hold the screen in place without injury or cutting it-or flexing its edge portion at too acute an angle, and which will therefore not damage the screen or shorten the use'ful life thereof.

Still other objects of the invention areto.

provide a sheet metal construction for the purpose stated which can be manufactured at a, relatively low cost and which will be i particularly" well suited to cooperate with window frames now on the market.

More specifically considered the invention relates to a new combination of sheet metal frame, screen cloth and retaining rod or con- "nection to hold the edge portions of. the screen cloth in place within a retaining groove provided in such sheet metal frame to receive such edge portionsof the screen together with the rod or connection whereby the screen'is held in place.

Other objects5advantages and features of the invention will hereinafter appear.

Referring to the. accompanying drawing which illustrates what is at present deemed to be a preferred embodiment of the invention, i

Fig. 1 is aface view of a window showing the same equipped with the invention. Fig. 2 is av vertical section on line 22 of Fig. 1. i

Fig. 3 is a fragmental vertical section through the lower frame member.

. Fig. 4 is a transverse section on line 44: of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a fragmental on line 55 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a cross section on line 6 60f Fig.

Referring in detail to the drawing, the sheet metal frame 5 as seen in a cross section taken through one side thereof, is shown consisting of a single sheet metal. strip 7 and been middle or body'portion substantially rectangular in cross section. At one side'of T this body portion there is an extension 8- which underlies the groove 9 which receives not only the edge portion of the screen 10 but also the retaining cord or Wire 11. Said extension 8 is located at one corner of the cross sectional portion of the frame under consideration, and is provided adjacent the inner edge of theframe opening with the portion 15 which is directed toward the other face of the framesaidportion l5 terminating in a laterally extending lip 16. Each of the four frame members is provided with said inwardly directed flange orlip 16 the fiangebeing formed by bending two runs of u the sheet metal over upon each other as shown. At each corner of the frame the; flange is cut on a bevel'as indicated at 20 in Fig. 1 so that the framepieces will allrfit smoothly together. I

In order to safeguard the marginal portion of the screen 10 from being flexed at too acute an angle where it is inserted into the groove 9, the groove Slat the side thereof adjacent the window opening is provided with a a rounded shoulder 17, said shoulder overhanging the bottom of the groove as shown. This shoulder, it is to be understood, preferably extends continuously along the edgeof the strip. The shoulder. projects considerably into the groove but does notclose the mouth of the groove up to such an extent as to prevent the insertion of the retaining connectionll. It is spaced at sufficient distance from the bottom of the groove so asto cause u the marginal portion 10a of the screen to be firmly gripped by the connection 11 when said connection is in place as shown.

Diagonally opposite to the flange or extension 16 there is provided along each side piece and the top piece of the frame an ex transverse section tensionor flange 25 which is formed by doubling over two runs of the sheet metal in a somewhat spaced relation to each other. These three flanges abut against the outer face of the casing of the window as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2. The bottom frame piece does not require a flange of this character and the flange is therefore absent allowing the frame piece at this side of the casing to abut directly against the sill 2G.

Speaking of the window frame as a whole, in each corner portion thereof there is provided an angularly shaped bracing plate which fits closely between the two runs of the sheet metal that form the extension 25 at each upper corner of the window casin In each lower corner of the window casing is provided a corresponding bracing plate 30a, said plate having a laterally directed base portion 306 as shown in Fig. 3 which extends from side to side of the space enclosed by the sheet metal casing. These four angularly shaped bracing plates are preferably secured in place in the corner portions of the window frame,

stabilized by the spot welds 30w.

In order. to provide bracing means which will prevent sagging of the screen cloth or distortion of the screen framein large windows, a cruciate sheet metal bracing member 31 is provided, each arm 33 of which is channel shaped in cross section. The end portion of each of these arms is inserted at the mid-width or inid-height of the frame the manner of insertion being shown in detail in Fig. 5. The space between the lower side of the bottom wall of the groove 9 and the sheet metal run 15 extends all the way around the window frame. In the corner portions of the window frame this space is filled up by the bracing plates 30 but in the intervening portions of the frame there is an abundance of space to receive the additional bracing means. The ends of the arms of the cruciate member are inserted into said space through holes provided for them so as to brace the window frame eflectively.

Describing more in detail the construction of the bracing means and the means for connecting the same with the window structure in Figs. 5 and 6, each arm of the cruciate bracing member is shown formed of a single strip of metal, said strip being folded upon itself in such a manner as to provide the arm with a face plate 35, a U-shaped body portion 36 the arms of which preferably diverge from each other and are provided with the flanges 37 and 38, and a downwardly bent end portion 39 which terminates in an outwardly directed lip or flange 40 shown in sectionin Fig. 5. The lip or flange 4:0 is disposed substantially opposite to the base portion of the channel shaped part of the arm and said flange 40 is projected through a slot provided therefor in the adjacent side of the tubular portion of the sheet metal frame which has already been described. The slot for the flange 40 is located close to the rear face of the frame so that said flange may fitsnugly between the back face of the frame and the bend which forms the bottom portion of the groove 9. The downwardly bent part 39 which terminates in the flange 40 at the end of the arm, is continuouswith the face plate thereof.

As seen in cross section, each arm of the cruciate brace is tubular, the flange which terminates each end of said brace being an extension of one side wall of this tube, which is first bent laterally across the end of the tube and is then directed outwardly. When the cruciate brace is in its operative position the laterally bent portion from which the flange 40 extends abuts against the end of the tube strengthening and stabilizing this part of the construction and forming a closure element therefor which is adapted to withstand the strain produced when the screen 10 is placed under tension by means of the fastening-means provided therefor.

It will be seen that the inn-er portion of the'groove 9 is offset toward the window opening, this arrangement being obtained by providing the shoulder portion 17 already described. Owing to the lower portion of the groove 9 being offset toward the window opening, when the edge portion of the screen is directed downwardly into said groove and the retaining'member or connection 11 is crowded into the groove in the manner shown in Fig.4. Said connection, being continued all the way-around the window opening, will exert a continuous pressure upon the edge portion of. the screen towards the window openingthus holding said screen securely in place. Theiedge portion of the screen 10 is curved around the connection 11 as indicated at 10a in Figs. 3, 4L- and 5. The edge of the window opening is indicated by broken lines in Fig. 1.

I claim:

1. In a window frame construction, a sheet metal tubular member surrounding the window opening, said tubular member having a groove extending therealong to receive the edge portion of the window screen, retaining means insertable into said groove to hold the screen in stretched operative position, the bottom of said groove being in spaced relation to the rear wall of said tubular member, and a sheet metal bracing member comprising an arm provided with an outwardly directed end flange or lip, said lip projecting into the space between said groove bottom and rear wall, said tubular member having a slot through its inner wall through which said lip projects.

2. In a window frame construction, a sheet metal tubular member surrounding the window opening, said tubular member having a groove extending therealong to receive the edge portion of the window screen, retaining means insertable into said groove to hold the screen in stretched operative position, the bottom of said groove being in spaced relation to the rear wall of said tubular member, and asheet metal bracing member comprising an arm which is tubular in cross section and which has a transversely bent end portion terminating in an outward- 1y directed flange, said flange extending through an aperture in the inner side of said tubular member and occupying the space between the bottom wall of said groove and the back Wall of said tubular member.

3. In a window frame construction, a sheet metal tubular member surrounding the window opening, said tubular member having a groove extending therealong to receive the edge portion of the windowscreen, re-

taining means insertable into said groove to hold the screen in stretched operative posi tion, the bottom of said'groove being in spaced relation to the rear wall of said tuhubottom Wall of said groove and the back wall of said tubular member;

In testimony whereof, I hereunto affix my signature.

CHARLES E. GALEENER. 

